After political backlash, EU Parliament passes nature law

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
12 Jul 2023 21:47

European Union lawmakers adopt the legal proposal with 336 votes in favor, 300 against, and 13 abstentions.

Swedish Greta Thunberg attends a demonstration with other activists outside the European Parliament, on July 11, 2023. (AP)

On Wednesday, the European Parliament voted to pass a fiercely contested law to restore degraded natural ecosystems, salvaging the environmental measures that center-right lawmakers had for long campaigned to kill off.

The legislation was approved by European Union legislators with 336 votes in favor, 300 votes against it, and 13 abstentions. The final wording will now be negotiated by legislators and member nations, with an agreement sought before the EU Parliament 2024 elections.

After the vote, Cesar Luena, the parliament's lead negotiator on the law, told reporters that they "have won. It is a social victory: for scientists, for young people, for a lot of companies and businesses, for the agricultural sector."

Government officials warned that Europe is enacting too many environmental regulations as part of its green agenda, which led to months of political campaigning that showed profound splits among EU countries and parliamentarians over the plan.

The plan was opposed by the European People's Party (EPP), the largest legislative bloc in the EU Parliament, on the grounds that it would hurt farmers and jeopardize food security.

EPP group chair Manfred Weber characterized the victory as "an empty win."

"We can only be successful on the green deal if we unify, this is obviously not the case with this bad piece of legislation," he added.

By 2030, countries must implement measures that restore nature to a fifth of their land and sea, according to the law. The goal is to stop the degradation of Europe's natural ecosystems, which are considered to be in bad health in 81% of cases.

EU lawmaker Mohammed Chahim said, "Restoring nature brings numerous benefits to farmers," adding that they "cannot grow food on dead soil."

Legislators and scientists have refuted the EPP's assertions and accused them of spreading false information to win support before the EU Parliament elections next year. It is denied by the group.

"This law is not against anybody," Luena said. "This is a law on behalf of nature, not against any person whatsoever."

She expressed gratitude to the academics and young people who had backed the law, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who was present in the EU parliament on Wednesday to see the vote.

To advance the EU's overall green agenda, including its aim to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, Brussels has already passed a number of CO2-reducing measures.

Recent environmental measures, however, have encountered opposition, notably those that call for farmers to make changes to address environmental pollution and the dwindling numbers of bees and butterflies populations.

This week, EU lawmakers agreed to weaken a different regulation aimed at reducing farm pollution.